The FirstLantic Way™

We make a profound difference in people’s lives.

The FirstLantic Way ™ describes the values, behaviors, principles, and practices that are the foundation of our unique culture. It explains how we relate to each other, our patients, their families, our referral source, and even our vendors. It’s who we are, and it’s what drives our extraordinary success.

The FirstLantic Way

“Bring it” every day.

While skill, talent and knowledge are necessary for producing good results, passion is the energy that fuels truly extraordinary performance. We may not always be perfect, but it will never be for lack of effort or total commitment. Approach every task with energy, focus, and enthusiasm. Be fully engaged.

We’re a family.

Our relationships go deeper than simply being teammates at work. We genuinely care for and about each other. We believe and trust in each other. Whether it’s a kind word during a tough stretch, a friendly smile each morning, or a helping hand in stressful times, show your compassion.

Make every interaction count.

Every interaction is an opportunity to make a profound difference in someone’s life. The way we smile or talk to a patient may have as much impact as the way we answer the phone. The way we write an e-mail may have as much impact as the physical therapy we provide. Look at every interaction as a chance to create a magical moment that can change a life.

Do the right thing.

Integrity is not about convenience. It’s an unwavering commitment to do the right thing in every circumstance, every time. We take a long-term view of success, making decisions that build strong, trusting relationships. Trust, in fact, takes years to build, but can be lost in an instant. We earn people’s trust by demonstrating integrity in every action we take and in every decision we make.

Care like it’s your own grandmother.

People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Genuine compassion can’t be faked. Ask yourself, “What would I do if this was a member of my own family?” Acting professionally and connecting with people on a deeply personal level are not mutually exclusive. Be a professional who cares.

Find a way to make it happen.

People don’t call us when it’s convenient. They call us when they need us. When they have a problem they can’t solve themselves. They don’t care about our policies and procedures nor are they interested in our excuses. It’s our job to find a way to make it happen. Be creative in finding a solution. Take ownership and see that it gets done – somehow, someway.

Details matter.

We’re in a business with millions of details, and every one of them matters. From what time medications are given to when to call the daughter. From when the patient likes to eat, to what nickname they prefer to be called. From which doctors want to be continuously updated to which ones don’t… it all matters. Look for the details. Own the details. Follow up on the details. Pay attention to every one of them. Get the details right.

Sign your work with pride.

Take pride in the quality of everything you touch and everything you do. From the way you care for a patient to the way you document a file, from the way you answer the phone to the way you write an e-mail, from the way you talk to a client’s family to the way you interact with a referral source, your work has your signature. Sign in bold ink.

Peace of mind is everything.

Always remember that when people call us, what they want more than anything is peace of mind. They want to know that the person whose care they’ve entrusted to us is in good hands. That we’re on it. This is as true for the referral source as it is for the family member. Communicate, communicate, and communicate some more. We’re their lifeline. Bring them safety, security and peace of mind.

Be responsive.

Our patients, their families, and our referral sources expect us to respond and their questions and concerns quickly. Whether it’s in person, on the phone, or by email, be a fanatic about response time. Getting back to people promptly, including your teammates, is one way we demonstrate our sensitivity to their issues and how much we care about them.

Honor commitments.

Making a profound difference in people’s lives involves a complex chain of interdependent activities.People count on us and we count on each other to do our part in this chain. Honoring our commitments makes the chain unbreakable. Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it. Communicate more than you think you need to.

Check the ego at the door.

Our own egos and personal agendas must never get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. We don’t take challenge personally or defensively. Make sure every decision is based solely on what will best advance our team goals.

Set and ask for expectations.

We judge situations not by what happens. Nearly every misunderstanding can be traced to a difference in expectations. Learn to create mutually understood expectations in every situation.

There are no problems, only opportunities.

What others call problems, we see as opportunities. Every so-called problem has within it the seeds of a valuable lesson. We take advantage of these lessons to become better, smarter, and more effective. In fact, the greater the challenge, the bigger the opportunity for growth.

Embrace change.

Nothing stays the same. Especially in our business. We’re excited by change, and are energized and inspired by both the challenges and the possibilities it creates. The better and faster we are at adopting to change, the stronger and more successful we become as a company. Change provides us with unique opportunities for competitive advantage.

Practice blameless problem solving.

Blame has no place in a high-performing organization. We fix mistakes by focusing on solutions, not on whose fault it was. We use these situations to learn, and we apply that learning by improving you processes to reduce the likelihood of repeating the mistake.

Everyone matters.

We’re all on one team. Regardless of position or title, everyone has an important role to play for us to achieve greatness and to fulfill our mission.

Be performance-driven.

We appreciate effort, but we reward and celebrate results. We set challenging goals and we don’t shy away from accountability. We use metrics to help us understand how we’re doing and how we can improve our performance. Holding ourselves accountable for results is a reflection of our personal commitment to our mission.

Be quick to ask and slow to judge.

There’s always more to the story than you think. Learn to ask questions and gather the facts before jumping to conclusions and making judgments. Be curious about additional information that may yield a more complete picture.

Celebrate Success.

Catching people doing things right is more effective than catching them doing things wrong. We build people up by giving meaningful (timely, specific, impactful) acknowledgement and appreciation and by celebrating both individual and team successes.

Let’s have fun.

Though we approach our mission with passion and commitment, we never take ourselves too seriously. There’s nothing better than having some fun to help us keep perspective. Laughter is good for the soul.